The Greatest
Choreographer:
Beth Webb (USA) & Peter Blaskowski (USA)
Music:
The Greatest - Kenny Rogers
Begin the dance with your feet and body facing the wall that you normally think of as 1/4 to the right of your front wall, but with your head turned to the left so you are looking at your usual front wall. (Sorta like the batting stance of a right-handed batter. Optionally, you can put both fists at your right shoulder, right above left.) Begin with weight on left foot, touching right toe forward. The ronde on counts 1-2 is like the dirt-arranging ritual some batters go through before each pitch RONDE, STEP, COASTER TURN, VINE RIGHT, VOLTA TURN1-3Slide the right toe in a wide arc to the right, ending with the right foot behind you, stepping down on the right foot behind you on count 34&5Step back with the left foot, step right foot next to left, step forward with the left foot prepping slightly to the left for the ¼ turn on count 66-7Pivot ¼ turn to the left and step right foot to the right side, step left foot to right crossing behind right foot8&Pivot ¼ turn to the right and step forward with the right foot, step forward with the left foot and pivot ¼ turn to the rightVINE, TURN, TOUCH-TOGETHER, TOUCH-TOGETHER, ROCK1-3Recover weight onto the right foot, step left foot to right crossing in front of right foot, step right foot to right side4&Step onto ball of left foot behind right foot and pivot ½ turn left, step right foot next to left foot5-6Touch left toe to left side, step left foot next to right7-9Touch right toe to right side, step right foot next to left, rock forward on left footROCK-BALL-CROSS, VOLTA TURN, HEEL JACKS The rock-ball-cross always happens as Kenny sings "I am the greatest...". Start count 1 on the word "I"1&2Recover weight onto right foot, step back with left foot, step right foot to the left with the right foot crossing in front of the left foot3&4Pivot ¼ turn to the left and step forward with the left foot, step forward with the right foot, pivot ¼ turn to the left and recover weight onto the left foot5&6Step right foot to left crossing in front of left foot, step left foot to left, touch right heel forward diagonally to the right&7Step right foot next to left, step left foot to right crossing in front of right foot&8Step right foot to the right, touch left heel forward diagonally to the leftCROSS-UNWIND, SHUFFLE FORWARD, ROCK FORWARD AND BACK1-2Touch the left toe behind the right foot, unwind ½ turn toward the left keeping weight on the right foot3&4Shuffle forward left, right, left5-6Step forward with right foot, recover weight back onto left foot7-8Step back with right foot, recover weight forward onto left foot On the final (4th) wall, instead of completing the rest of the dance, repeat the previous 16 counts (starting with the rock-ball-cross), ending with the weight back on the right foot, left foot forward. Place your hands at your belt buckle, left hand around your right fist. Turn your head to the left. You are now the pitcher.COASTERS FRONT AND BACK, CHUG TURN1&2Step right foot forward, step left foot next to right, step right foot back3&4Step left foot back, step right foot next to left, step left foot forward&5Hitch right knee up while pivoting ¼ turn right on the ball of the left foot, touch right toe to the right side&6&7&8Repeat &5 three more times, completing a full chug turn to the left and ending with weight on the left footHEEL JACKS, ROCK, ROCK, ROCK1&2Step right foot to left crossing in front of left foot, step left foot to left, touch right heel forward diagonally to the right&3Step right foot next to left, step left foot to right crossing in front of right foot&4Step right foot to the right, touch left heel forward diagonally to the left&5Step left foot next to right, step right foot to left crossing in front of left foot&6Step left foot to left, touch right heel forward diagonally to the right7-9Step to the right with the right foot, recover weight over to the left foot, rock weight onto the right foot (Sway your hips toward the weighted foot on each count)HALF TURN, VINE, TOUCH, TURN, HOLD1Pivot ¼ turn to the left and step forward with the left foot2Pivot ¼ turn to the left and step to the right with the right foot3-5Recover weight onto the left foot, step right foot to the left crossing in front of the left, step left foot to the left6Touch right toe 6 inches behind left foot7Pivot ½ turn right on the ball of the left foot, leaving the right toe where it is8Turn your head to the left, ending with weight on left foot, right toe touching forwardREPEATBRIDGE The bridge is danced just once, while at second base, er...I mean..., at the end of wall 2. We'd call it a tag, but in baseball, "Tag! You're out!" CROSSING SHUFFLES1&2Step right foot to the left crossing in front of the left, step left foot to the left, step right foot to the left crossing in front of the left3-4Step left foot to the left, recover weight onto right foot and turn your head to the right5&6Step left foot to the right crossing in front of the right, step right foot to the right, step left foot to the right crossing in front of the right7-8Step right foot to the right, recover weight onto left foot and turn your head to face forwardSHUFFLE FORWARD, ½ TURN, TURNING TRIPLE1&2Shuffle forward right, left, right3-4Step left foot forward, pivot ½ turn right on the balls of both feet and shift weight to right foot5&6Triple step in place left, right, left while making ½ turn to right7-9Step right foot back, recover weight onto left foot, point right toe forward and turn your head to the left The speed changes a couple of times during the song, and comes to a complete stop before the coaster steps of wall 3. Just pause and begin again when the music does.